Chongqing Haifu Hospital
Established in 2011, Chongqing Haifu Hospital occupies approximately 3,500 square metres and is recognised as the world’s first non-invasive medical demonstration hospital specialising in High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) ablation technology.
The Hospital has been recognised by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in the United States as a Global Centre of Excellence, and is one of only two medical institutions in Asia to receive this distinction. It also serves as a core international training base for FUAS physicians.
The Hospital has assembled a professional team of nearly 90 FUAS physicians and has provided standardised technical guidance to more than 400 medical institutions worldwide, with clinical services reaching patients from 35 countries and regions.
An independent International Medical Department provides integrated international medical services in English, Russian and Spanish, supported by an established multilingual healthcare service system.
HIFU Oncology Centre
Building on the Hospital’s specialised platform, the Department of Oncology was formally established in March 2021. It is a minimally invasive and non-invasive oncology specialty developed as a key clinical discipline by the National Engineering Research Center for Ultrasound Medicine.
The Department operates an independent standardised inpatient ward with 30 dedicated beds. Its facilities are designed to provide a structured, comfortable and private clinical environment for professional and patient-centred care.
The Department is led by an experienced clinical and academic team, including Professor Chen Wenzhi and Professor Zhang Lian, who have each worked in the field of Haifu non-invasive technology for 27 years. Director Chen Li oversees day-to-day clinical operations and departmental management.
Professor Chen Wenzhi and Professor Zhang Lian respectively serve as Vice President and Secretary-General of the International Society of Minimally Invasive and Non-Invasive Medicine. Both have extensive experience in the clinical application and translational research of non-invasive oncology technologies.
The Department maintains a comprehensive professional team, with all medical, nursing and technical personnel having completed specialised standardised HIFU training. The Department is equipped with the Haifu Focused Ultrasound Tumour Therapeutic System and advanced medical imaging equipment, providing the technical and diagnostic infrastructure required for targeted tumour ablation and standardised minimally invasive and non-invasive oncology care.
Clinical Philosophy & HIFU Technology
The Department follows the Hospital’s core minimally invasive and non-invasive medical philosophy:
“Treatment — causing less harm to the patient.”
HIFU ablation is based on the tissue-penetrating and precisely focusable characteristics of ultrasound. Ultrasound energy is externally focused onto the targeted lesion within the body, generating an instantaneous temperature of approximately 60–100°C within the treatment target and inducing irreversible coagulative necrosis of the targeted tissue.
The procedure is performed without an incision and without an open surgical wound or conventional surgical bleeding. It is designed to minimise tissue trauma, facilitate postoperative recovery and, where clinically appropriate, preserve the anatomical structure and physiological function of the affected organ.
Clinical Applications
The Department provides HIFU-based treatment and comprehensive oncology services across a range of benign and malignant conditions.
Benign tumours and conditions include: Uterine fibroids * Uterine adenomyosis * Breast fibroadenoma * Desmoid-type fibromatosis and related fibrous tumours
Malignant tumours and solid lesions include: * Liver cancer * Pancreatic cancer * Breast cancer* Bone tumours * Renal cancer * Soft-tissue sarcoma * Other solid mass lesions
Clinical suitability is determined on an individual basis following appropriate medical and imaging assessment. HIFU may be considered in selected patients who are unable to tolerate conventional surgery or who require an organ-preserving treatment approach.
The Department has established a full-cycle clinical pathway covering pre-treatment assessment, non-invasive ablation, rehabilitation guidance and long-term follow-up. Through a multidisciplinary consultation mechanism, individualised comprehensive treatment strategies may be developed for patients with complex or difficult-to-treat tumours.
Clinical, Research, Teaching & International Technology Platform
The Department integrates clinical care, scientific research, medical education and international technology transfer, serving as a specialised platform for minimally invasive and non-invasive oncology.
Its institutional platforms and affiliations include the Global Clinical Demonstration Base for the Industrialisation of Non-Invasive Ultrasound Treatment of Benign and Malignant Tumours, a branch of the Chongqing Minimally Invasive and Non-Invasive Medical Collaborative Innovation Center, and an internship training base established in cooperation with the School of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University.
The Hospital is designated as a Chongqing medical insurance facility and supports nationwide inter-provincial medical insurance network settlement, providing greater accessibility for eligible patients.
Research & Academic Contributions
The Department’s core experts have received the Second Prize of the National Technology Invention Award in 2000, with no First Prize awarded that year.
The team has led and participated in multiple major national-level research programmes and has published more than 100 high-level academic papers in international journals. Its experts have also delivered presentations at major academic conferences in China and internationally.
Through continued clinical research, academic collaboration and international technology dissemination, the Department contributes to the standardised application and global development of China’s original minimally invasive and non-invasive oncology technologies.